Men’s Golf Selected for 2018 Bryan Regional
2017-18 Season Stats
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 23 University of Kentucky men’s golf team was selected to the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship for the 11th time and third year in a row in the Brian Craig era on Wednesday, as the Wildcats made the field of 81 teams and will compete in the Bryan Regional in Bryan, Texas, at the Traditions Club, May 14-16. Texas A&M will serve as the host.
“College Station (Bryan) was one of the top regional sites that I was hoping we would land,” Craig said. “I have heard it is an excellent golf course and quite challenging. That is perfect for our team. We will be ready and looking forward to the challenge.”
The 13-team regional features five other teams from the Southeastern Conference, including host-team No. 2 Texas A&M, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi State. The remainder of the field includes No. 11 Baylor, No. 14 Clemson, UCLA, San Francisco, UNC Wilmington, Northern Colorado and Bradley.
Kentucky is coming off a regular season in which it earned four tournament titles and finished in the top five on eight occasions. UK’s four regular-season wins are the most under Craig since the 2005 squad won six events.
The Wildcats return four starters from the 2017 team that appeared in the Baton Rouge Regional a season ago. Seniors Chip McDaniel and Cooper Musselman and juniors Lukas Euler and Fred Allen Meyer represented the Cats last year. McDaniel, Musselman and Euler competed in 2016 as well finishing 13th overall in the nation.
The field is comprised of 81 teams and 45 individuals and will compete in six regional sites, May 14-16 (13 teams and 10 individuals at three regionals and 14 teams and five individuals at three regionals). Thirty teams and six individuals will advance from regional sites to the National Championship to be played May 25-30 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
The six regional sites include Raleigh, North Carolina: Lonnie Poole Golf Course; Bryan, Texas: Traditions Club; Columbus, Ohio: Scarlet Course/Ohio State Golf Course; Kissimmee, Florida: Reunion Resort; Norman, Oklahoma: Jimmie Austin Oklahoma University Golf Club; and Stockton, California: The Reserve at Spanos Park.
This marks the 11th postseason regional appearance for Kentucky under the direction of Craig. The Wildcats placed seventh in 2017, fourth in 2016 and 2014, 10th in 2013, ninth in 2009, 17th in 2008, 10th in 2006, fourth in 2005, first in 2004 and sixth in 2003.
Musselman, McDaniel and Euler have started all 10 events for the Wildcats this season, while Meyer has appeared in nine events. Freshman Max Mehles has logged a start in each of UK’s last four tournaments.
Euler paces the team with a 71.30 stroke average for the season, 21 rounds of par or better and eight top-20 individual finishes. Musselman has a team-high four top-10 finishes, including an individual victory in the Crooked Stick Invitational. McDaniel captured a win at the Bearcat Invitational and a runner-up finish at the Gary Koch Invitational where he matched his career-low 54-hole tournament score of 201, which ranks as the second-lowest score under Craig. Meyer has notched a career-low round and a career-low tournament score during his junior campaign, while Mehles has led the team with four top-20 finishes during the spring slate and a 71.89 stroke average.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s golf team, follow @UKMensGolf on Twitter and on the web at UKathletics.com.
